Good Night From II

Hey Y'all,
Currently in Morgantown, W. VA; off I-79, at the Pilot doing a 34-hour reset with my mentor. While I don't need one, for my 51st hour going team he wants both of us to have a clean 70 hours, so here we sit til tomorrow. Then off to Wisconsin!

How have the rest of you guys/gals been?

Tiger

 

I could say been better, picking up jit load in paw paw, MI and it's a preload. Trailer has both right side marker lights hit with lenses broken and fresh puncture hole in left front corner. Came in here the way I have to go out on 94 and 3 state dot guys out there pulling trucks over. On road wants me to drive it to a shop, normally I would just do it, but with the cops out there, no way. I know I have a right to say no. I called a guy that gate guards put me in touch with and he is on the way, on road didn't like it but finally agreed. I'm the one that would get a fine, and they didn't seem to care! Kind of got me heated. Enough of my ranting lol.

 

The trailer UPS tried to get me to leave with today was in similar condition. They were a little less than happy when I asked them to unload that trailer and put the load into another one. They told me I could take it back to Swift, in Gary, IN. I just looked at them like they were nuts.

I did a JIT load last night from Memphis to New Staton (Pittsburgh, PA)…that as an interesting experience. Apparently that load has missed its plane due to a late UPS driver…so they asked Swift to overnight it to PA. Still arrived late, due to the weather we're having out east. I look forward to a load westbound. LOL.

 

I worked for the Federal Government for 29 years, 25 years with one agency(the FAA).

And yes, I miss it.

 

At the TA in Council Bluffs. Slept through the night with the Qualcomm and cell phone volumes set on STUN. Finally woke up to the text message alert quickly followed by "Judy" going nuts on the Qualcomm, "A NEW MESSAGE HAS ARRIVED! A NEW MESSAGE HAS ARRIVED! A NEW MESSAGE HAS ARRIVED! A NEW MESSAGE HAS ARRIVED!"

I jumped up to find a nice load offer picking up just over the border in Illinois headed to Casper, halfway home. Drop and hook to pick up and I had already attached to an empty yesterday. So I cranked right into pre trip, poured a cup of coffee out of my thermos, and hit the road.

By the way, if you are in Gary and searching the yard for an empty it's a good idea to call your DM if you find one. I found a couple (one by following the yard dog bringing an empty out of the shop) and called to find out they were still in shop status. I walked over to the shop and they immediately put them out of status, called my DM back and attached myself to the better empty so the system had it locked up before I physically hooked to it.

I decided to finish my day with 8:40 drive time in Council Bluffs to avoid "selling my 70" for cheap by fighting with rush hour traffic. Far better to get cranking at 2:00 am and blast all the way through Lincoln and be on wide open I-80 by the time the sun comes up.

Had one of those electric signs on the freeway today with a "High Wind Warning 50 mph Gusts!" early in Iowa. Broadside all day from the north, which made for fun and interesting driving. Reminded me of being at the helm of my sailboat on Puget Sound on a hard tack with extreme heeling...

... not my video but a nice example:

 

LEPTON...I stayed at that T/A 2 nights ago. Not too bad with decent parking.

I'm in Edwardsville tonight. I spotted a new trailer right next to where I was dropping my tcall and got on the phone to have my DM check its status..it was free!! I stopped what I was doing and slapped my lock and a seal on it to keep the vultures away. Finished dropping and hurried inside to get clear of the tcall and the Window Guy said he'd put me on the list of Drivers Needing An Empty. Yeah ok, sure thing Buddy, Thanks!!! (I like to be polite at this terminal)

Walked five feet away and called my DM back, had the trailer put on me and dispatched in all of two minutes. Walked out with a smile on my face..love when a plan comes together. Got to stay Proactive to get what you need.

Pick up a preloaded trailer in the morning then it's off to Houston for a live unload and Home Time!!

 

Simpsonville, KY at the Pilot.

No mt's at the Kroger DC so I'm bobtail tonight.
I'll worry about an mt with the next load, but I've only got about 5.5 hours to work with tomorrow. Finding an mt is going to take a good portion of it.
Oh well.

My last pplan was picking up about 110 miles from here to deliver in MA on 2/3.
My home time request is for 2/4 in MN.
The new home time policy is simply amazing!

 

Loves post falls idaho. I have a live unload in Lewiston Idaho tomorrow at 11:00, and could have made it to the terminal for the night if I'd pushed it, but decided I'd rather shower at loves, sleep in, and then drive to Lewiston to deliver and pick up IFTA and permits. Since I have a tv in my truck, I find myself avoiding terminals more and more. Usually the showers are cleaner and the food is cheaper.

 

This has been my MO for MTs in every terminal EXCEPT Phoenix.

 

I'll choose any truck stop over most terminals any day.
I refuse to shower in a terminal - period.